Newcastle are keeping tabs on the fitness of their former striker Andy Carroll, back in training after an ankle operation in America, the Sunday People can reveal .

Toon want to take Carroll back to Tyneside but preliminary talks broke down in the summer when the big striker was injured on a pre-season tour.

Now, with the injury-prone England man targeting a return to first-team action for West Ham next month, Newcastle are set to re-open discussions.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce loaded up his club with strikers in the close season – with Enner Valencia, Mauro Zarate and Diafra Sakho all pitching up at Upton Park – and that could see Carroll head north in January, initially on loan.